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Another great weekend lies just ahead, with so many things to do — Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! Terrifying haunted houses! A Drunken Film Festival! — it’s dizzying. Let’s get to it, shall we? Here are our seven top picks for weekend frolic in San Francisco and beyond.
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1 SEE: Sailors, aviators and Angels, oh my
San Francisco’s Fleet Week rises to dizzying heights this weekend, when the Blue Angels soar through the sky. The jaw-dropping aeronautics show is expected to draw a million spectators Friday-Sunday. Best check out our insider’s guide to where to watch the fun (and join the parties) before you go. (And whatever you do, don’t drive into the city — take Bart, a train, a bus, a ferry or heck, a flying saucer. Traffic will be ghastly.)
2 HEAR: Stars of all stripes at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Half a million people can’t all be wrong. That’s how many folks come to the annual three-day, FREE Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, and this year should be no exception. With a roster of performers ranging from Emmylou Harris and Mavis Staples to Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Trampled by Turtles (yes, that’s a band), not to mention a fancy-free vibe, HSB is a magical experience. Here are our picks on who you should seek out at the fest.
3 PLAY: Spooks and haunts
‘Tis the haunting season and the Bay Area’s haunted houses and theme parks are gearing up for plenty of scares this month. Wondering which of these attractions are not too scary for youngsters (and some of us adrenaline-averse grown-ups) and which are totally terrifying? We’ve ranked them by fear factor for you.
4 SIP: Pints and flicks
Pub crawl meets cinema in the quirky Drunk Film Festival (yes, really!), which began in the U.K. Starting Sunday, avid filmgoers can savor curated short features — animated shorts, narratives and music videos — over a pint at participating Oakland bars. And it’s free. (Bring $$ for your beer, though.)
5 WATCH: Another ‘Star is Born’
We usually roll our eyes with all the reboots, re-imaginings and remakes Hollywood tosses at us, but the new “A Star is Born,” hitting movie theaters this weekend, has us intrigued. Lady Gaga looks dazzling, Bradley Cooper has the whole “rode hard and put out wet” look down to a T, and our critic loved it. If you have other cinematic needs, how about Robert Redford as a cagey old bank-robber, or Tom Hardy as the Spidey villain Venom? We have a rundown on your other options here. And if you’re trekking to Marin for the splashy Mill Valley Film Festival, heck, we have picks for that, too.
6 EAT: Happy Taco Day
Sooo, turns out there’s a National Taco Day — it’s today, actually. But why stop at just one day of taco eating, when you could be downing that deliciousness every day? Check out this interactive map (and mouthwatering photos!) of the Bay Area’s 32 top taquerias, then get out there and sample, sample, sample.
7 WATCH: 2 Renowned Bay Area artists finally perform together
Choreographer Alonzo King and the Kronos Quartet are both widely acclaimed and well-known for collaborating with other artists. So why haven’t they worked together? Hey, they’ve been busy! Besides, that long-dreamed-about collaboration is finally here, this weekend and next in San Francisco. Details are here.
